Programs

Personal Trainer - Advanced Certificate

Want to show others the difference fitness can make in their lives and help them reach their full potential?

A personal trainer is a fitness professional involved in exercise prescription and instruction. They motivate clients by setting goals and providing feedback and accountability. Trainers also measure their client's strengths and weaknesses with fitness assessments. These fitness assessments may also be performed before and after an exercise program to measure their client's improvements in physical fitness. They may also educate their clients in many other aspects of wellness besides exercise, including general health and nutrition guidelines. Many specialize in a certain training type, training philosophy, performance type, exercise modality, or client population.

About the Program

The personal trainer advanced certificate is fast-paced program designed to prepare you for the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) certification. Delta College gives the graduates the opportunity to take the NSCA certified personal training exam on campus.

Learning human anatomy, exercise physiology, injury prevention, and motivation techniques, you will develop skills necessary to lead individuals safely through exercise with proper instruction and demonstration.

You will train an actual client for eight weeks, including initial assessment, creation and oversight of the program, and final assessment. During this experience, you will also learn the process of getting informed consent, release of liability waivers, and creating tracking documents.

Hands-on fitness assessment opportunities include:

1 RM testing

Isometric strength testing

Blood pressure testing

VO2max testing on metabolic cart

Submaximal testing on metabolic cart

Blood lactate testing

Wingate power test

Body Composition Testing (skinfolds and circumference measurements)

Flexibility assessments

Muscle Endurance assessments

Cardiorespiratory Fitness testing

What are students saying?

"Weight has always been a struggle for me, so I can relate to people. I can show them that if I can do it, they can do it!" – Tim Daly, owner of Saginaw Valley Sports Performance

"This is a great field. I love working with people and helping them see they can make themselves better by their own actions." – Samuel Whyte

"I have always wanted to do this, and my instructors taught me to believe in myself." – Michelle Rousseau

Careers and Job Outlook

Personal trainers work in fitness facilities, in their personal homes, in client homes, over live video, or outdoors. Almost all personal trainers and group exercise instructors work in physical fitness facilities, health clubs, and fitness centers located in the amusement and recreation industry or in civic and social organizations.

Employment is expected to grow by 24 percent from 2010 to 2020, faster than the average for all occupations. As businesses and insurance organizations continue to recognize the benefits of health and fitness programs for their employees, incentives to join gyms or other fitness facilities will increase the need for workers in these areas.

The national average pay for fitness trainers is $31,090 per year, or $14.95 per hour.

Source: 2012-13 Occupational Outlook Handbook from the Bureau of Labor Statistics at www.bls.gov/ooh.

The average yearly earnings for a personal trainer in Michigan is $27,570.

Find Out More

Personal Trainer - Advanced Certificate

Program Code: CSA.35742

Upon completion of the Personal Trainer Certificate Program, you will have the knowledge and skills necessary to effectively assist apparently healthy individuals and those with controlled diseases in exercising safely and achieving higher levels of fitness or athletic performance. This program will provide the knowledge and practical experience in all of the following areas: client consultation and assessment, fitness program development, exercise techniques, safety procedures, and legal issues. Upon completion of this program, you will be eligible to sit for the American Council on Exercise (ACE) certification exam or the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) Certified Personal Trainer exam.